48 Biogeochemical Cycling in Natural and Human-Altered Landscapes

Tuesday, 20 March 2018
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Emerald Ballroom III

POTENTIAL DRIVERS OF A REGIONAL STREAMWATER NITRATE PULSE

Paper number: 48-5
Program: Theme Sessions
Time: 9:05 AM – 9:25 AM

Authors

  • Mark B. Green Presenting Author
    Plymouth State University, Plymouth, NH
  • Mark B. Green Presenting Author
    Northern Research Station, North Woodstock, NH

Abstract

Long-term streamwater chemistry monitoring provides insights into how forested catchments respond to environmental change. Around 2013, multiple headwater catchments across New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont showed a substantial increase in streamwater nitrate concentration. The similar timing of the increase raises questions about a potential regional driver. One possibility is regional climate variability impacting soil biogeochemical processes (e.g., nitrification) or novel hydrologic transport processes. The other possibility is soil biogeochemistry experienced an episode during the recovery from elevated acid deposition. This talk will present evidence of the regional streamwater nitrate increase, highlight our current hypotheses for the most likely drivers, and discuss the implications for catchment biogeochemsitry under recent environmental change.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 50, No. 2

doi: 10.1130/abs/2018NE-310831

© Copyright 2018 The Geological Society of America (GSA), all rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to the author(s) of this abstract to reproduce and distribute it freely, for noncommercial purposes. Permission is hereby granted to any individual scientist to download a single copy of this electronic file and reproduce up to 20 paper copies for noncommercial purposes advancing science and education, including classroom use, providing all reproductions include the complete content shown here, including the author information. All other forms of reproduction and/or transmittal are prohibited without written permission from GSA Copyright Permissions.